BioShock: Reparation
by Vox Mars
Summary: SPOILERS: With the fall of Comstock, DeWitt and Elizabeth have saved the World from the tyranny of Columbia. However, the threat of the Infinite World is not over.
1. Enter, Ceasar

**BIOSHOCK: REPARATION**

**Enter, Caesar**

His pure amazement had not faded since the second he was brought into this world of infinite possibilities. Even though the lighthouses around him outwardly resembled each other, the worlds they held within were all different and fantastic. Like a train station, he was at the crossing of all these worlds. He could have jumped into any of these other worlds had he wanted too. That thought alone -the thought of an odd sort of omnipresence- both invigorated and terrified him. Such a power was not obviously meant for mankind.

Like a giddy schoolboy, his 58-year old frame carried him from island to island. Opening one, he stared as an American flag was planted atop the Parthenon. Another let him watch as Zeppelins bombed a gigantic New York. "Good... Good God! What is this?" He exclaimed, stepping back as the door shut.

"No." A voice said from behind.

"Not God." A second continued, a woman.

"Science." The first again.

The man turned to see two twins, eyeing him with what seemed to be a detached curiosity.

The woman turned to her brother, "The real question seems to be, what is he doing here?"

"Or what was he doing here." The man added.

He could not help but stare at the two. Maybe it was the world around him that made him accept these two odd people faster than he normally would have. Whatever the case he spoke as openly as he could with them, "I was brought here by a man named Comstock. He was trying to convince me of the merit of some project. This was to be a demonstration of-" The woman's patient look caught his eye. "Hold, a moment," He approached her while he struggled to remember. "He was with a woman, who looks a great deal like yourself."

Her eyebrow shot up, "Well then, it was me that brought you here."

"Or me." Her brother added.

"In that case it means that you are trapped here-"

"Seeing as the way has been shut and Comstock erased-"

"You are now an anomaly that should not exist."

The two finished each other's sentences before turning to leave.

"Wait!" He cried out. "Tell me what is going on!"

The twins walked away on wooden planks to another lighthouse. He could hear them as they left, "…Things will straighten themselves out. He will be erased from this place."

"Unless that while here he does not exist in any place."

"Meaning in all others he will be erased instead."

"Intriguing."

Before he could follow them he felt a strange sensation. His body trembled, and for a moment he thought he was beginning to have a seizure. Paralyzed, he could only watch as the twins entered a lighthouse and shut the door behind them. Not a muscle responded to his command. The experience gradually passed, however. After a couple of minutes, he was back in control of his body.

Something was off though- something had changed. The man could not put his finger on it, but he knew for certain something was different.

Not having time to find out what, the man followed after the twins opening the door they had stepped through. To his surprise the world that had entered was dark. Not like nighttime dark, but a shade so utterly without light that staring into began to bother him. He slammed the portal closed as quickly as he could. A creeping sense of worry entered into his head; it had not occurred to him how long he had been here, in this place. His wife needed him, he had to get back to her!

Racing, he tried to find the lighthouse he had stepped through. Door after door, his spirit sank. Only that same, soul-crushing blackness waited for him. After what felt like hours he finally sat down at the edge of an island. He stared into the crystal clear waters, wondering what was going to happen to him. He tried to remember exactly where he entered, but his mind was in a fugue- all he could remember was… was…

Try as he may, his mind was in a fugue. Trying to remember only elicited pain. It was as if he had never existed until this very moment. "I will not be trapped in this world of fantasies!" He stood up, and looked around, "Do you hear me? I am not a beast to be caged away, I will find my way out! Do you hear me!" With renewed purpose he searched the lighthouses. Each time he opened the door to darkness only fueled his desire to find a way out.

A slight tremor caused him to stop. Silence as he waited to see what was going on.

The tremor returned, somewhat stronger. He carefully walked over to the edge of the particular island he was on, and peered into the depths of the water.

Staring back at him, from the mind of a tortured Doré, was a demon from the pit of the underworld. "The Leviathan…" He gasped. It drew closer, speeding towards him from the depths of the clear ocean. In a split second he was off again, running for his life. "Dear God, I implore you. In this hour I need you the most! Grant me the power to return to her, she will be lost without me! Please Lord!"

He did not dare stop or turn to see what was going on behind him, and the sounds that were emerging only served to make him run faster. The pink clouds above him were no longer kind or gentle; they only mocked his attempt to survive.

A loose rock caught his polished shoe, and brought him down onto the wet rocks with a solid crack. He moaned while rolling onto his back. _This is the end? The terminal point to an odyssey I cannot seem to remember. What sin have I committed to deserve such a pitiable fate? I do not think myself to have erred greatly, yet I could not remember now for the life of me. Lord, if this be your will, than I am merely your servant. My wife… though I do not remember her name, must be taken care of. That is my only request Lord. If I die now, here in this Hell, make her life easy and comfort her sorrows. This… is the end?_

The man's head rolled over to his right shoulder, and he was able to glimpse a wave engulf a lighthouse near him.

"…no… No… This is not my fate." He struggled to his feet, his hand against the solid base of the lighthouse. He limped over to the door, and placed one hand firmly on the portal. Using what was left of his strength, he threw open the door and fell inside.

It was not darkness that greeted him. Though, the tough wooden floor was not exactly a comfort. He lay there, trying to summon up the ability to stand up. After a few futile attempts, he was up on one solid leg, and managed to limp over to the metal stairwell. No time to look around, he began his ascent. One step at a time, he continued upwards. He slipped up at several points but his iron grip on the metal railing kept him from falling. He could only grunt and continue on.

At the pinnacle, he was greeted with a sight he was not prepared for. The sky had become a mighty tempest, with winds buffeting him from seemingly every angle. Though rain was not falling, he could tell it was soon on its way. Lightning struck the lighthouses that were still standing, while the sea was busy consuming others. Nature had conspired against this place, and against him.

He grabbed the railing and tried to spot the Leviathan. The beast was circling his island, one of its' red eyes staring up at him. "You shall not fell me beast!" He wiped the spittle from the corner of his mouth and turned to see what he could use to fight with. In the center of the structure, where the light should have been, there was a spear imbedded in the stone.

Without a second thought he was inside, drawing the spear from its' encasement. He was far past his glory days of the War, but this was to be his final stand. Like a man, he would die on his feet with his honor and pride buoying his final thoughts. Back near the railing the creature below had stopped circling, and was poised right beneath him.

The rain began to fall in torrential drops. He raised the spear in his right hand and pointed with his left, "Come to me, oh hellish monstrosity! If I must perish you will join me!" The creature seemingly understood and bolted upwards, water surging up with it on either side. If it were not so horrifying, it would have been an impressive sight.

He exhaled and brought the spear down as the monster's mouth opened revealing the maw of his demise. He shut his eyes the moment he could feel the spear tearing into something, knowing full-well he had done all he could.


	2. Falling Star

Falling Star

The haze of smoke filled the room. The solitary ray of light from his window illuminated the particles as they headed towards his ceiling. Booker DeWitt took another drag, and rested his head on his arm. In the other room Anna was dozing quietly; a rare occasion.

His memory was cloudy. At first he attributed it to the copious amounts of empty scotch bottles around his desk, that seemingly multiplied but it soon became apparent that only a portion of his memory was fuzzy. The concept perplexed him, and the range of emotions that flooded him when he tried to discern what happened during the foggy period overwhelmed him.

Was this some sort of illness? He placed the cigarette in the tray next to his bed and resumed his staring contest with the ceiling. He began to whistle a tune that made its way in his mind. It was slightly melancholy, and as he went on he got a very familiar feeling. Almost nostalgic. "Elizabeth…"

_That name! Something about that name!_

He sat up, "I remember something about Eliza-"

A knock at the door stopped him. Booker sighed, and strode over to the door. He looked through the peephole, but could not see anyone. "Hello?"

"Booker DeWitt?"

"Yeah. Who's asking?"

"You have a package, sir."

"From who?"

"Doesn't say, sir."

Booker felt unsettled, but nonetheless let his curiosity override his commons sense. The door swung open and a small, square package was thrust into his chest.

"It's been paid for on the other end. Have a good day sir." Before he could open his mouth the courier was gone.

"Hmm." The Pinkerton shut the door, staring down at the box in his hands. He walked over to the center of the room where the light fell. The package was in brown paper with a string tie binding it. Carefully, he undid the tie. _Something is wrong._ He deliberately unraveled the paper to reveal a wooden box. His hand gently ran over the top of the box, a sensation that left his palm tingling. He placed his hand on the latch- did the room get colder?- and undid the lock. Slowly opening it, the hinges creaked. Seeing nothing at first glance he opened it fully, in the light of the window.

"A thimble?"

"Mr. DeWitt!" Another knock at the door.

"I think you made a mistake-" He walked over and open the door, his attention on the thimble, "-this isn't mine… Huh, you're not the courier."

"Apt observation, Mr. DeWitt. My name is Lutece, but you know that. Or knew that. Will know?"

"I have never seen you in my life." _You freak._ "If you know what's good for you, you're gonna head out of here before we get acquainted."

Lutece raised his palms, "Now, now, no need to threaten. I just came here to deliver a message."

"Then do it." Lutece reached into his jacket, and Booker's reflex went to his empty holster. His fingers grasped empty air.

"Mr. DeWitt, please. Here, just a letter." Lutece was true to his word, and handed it over.

Booker eyed the man, but slid his thumb under the seal and unfolded the letter:

_Dear Booker,_

_I do not expect you to remember me, though truth be told I do not remember much of you. There is much neither of us understand right now, but I think that is for the better. I must be brief with you. On the other page of this letter are directions on how to reach a lighthouse off the coast of Maine. Believe me, I know this sounds ridiculous, but if you want to save your Anna, you must meet me at the lighthouse. Our time is running short, please hurry. I am sorry it has come to this._

_-Elizabeth_

"What the hell is this?" Booker felt his blood rising.

"A letter. More precisely, an offer to save your daughter, I would suppose."

"My daughter is-" DeWitt dropped the box and letter, running over to throw open the door to Anna's room. An inhuman cry filled his office.

Booker turned on his heels and made his way over to Lutece. "Mr. DeWitt, I would suggest you don't jump to any conclusions." He grabbed the other man's collar and hoisted him into the air.

"If you do not tell me where my daughter is I will bash your brains in right here."

The man kept his calm, to his credit, though the thought was secondary and quickly dismissed in Booker's enraged conscious. "I think you have the answer to your own question. Though you dropped it on the ground."

DeWitt let the man go and walked over to his desk. He holstered his pistol and was rapidly back in front of Lutece, "I'm going there now. You are coming with me. If my questions aren't answered, I will shoot every single person is involved in this."

Lutece nodded, "That is your choice, Mr. DeWitt."

The King had one hand on the railing of his light house, the other holding the 'precious bundle.' He glanced back towards his spear, as he did every couple of minutes, back in its' resting place. From behind it his attendant moved forward, looking at the collection of half-ruined light houses that were arrayed around them. "Sire, should I find a suitable mother for the child?"

"Ah, Maddox, dutiful to the letter. Not yet, I want to savor my time with her. After all, she is my vengeance."

"Vengeance, sire?"

"This is Comstock's daughter. Or the man who is to be Comstock. Or was to be… He will cross worlds to come retrieve her from me. And I intend for him to. He stole my life from me, so I will do the same from him." He looked down and tickled the babies nose, Anna giggled in response. "I had two daughters once, Maddox. There is no pain more devastating or acute than the loss of a child."

Maddox remained silent, watching the baby giggle.

"There are people, in all of these other worlds, who think me to be some ruthless tyrant. That is not true, my friend. I am just a humble man who wants some peace of mind. When this is over, and I have what I want, our paradise will be complete. But to make paradise, justice must be meted out. The unworthy cannot experience paradise."

"Very good, sire."


End file.
